During their time at Lourdes the pilgrims are encouraged to pray and build up a stronger relationship with God, they are given an opportunity to do this during the many masses that take place each day. Also, people who are not ill like to go to Lourdes and volunteer to help the sick. The men who volunteer are given the title ‘Brancardier’ which is French for stretcher-bearer, these people help to transport the sick from place to place, like taking them from hotel to church, or to the grotto or to processions.
The women volunteers take up the task of becoming a handmaid, in the image of Mary. This job involves caring for the sick, which incorporates cleaning, washing and generally helping the sick enjoy their time at Lourdes.
By helping others in this way, the pilgrims find that they think about others more when they get home, and they find that their own lives are a blessing. The long time effects of the pilgrimage are usually the better effects, as the people leave the place they begin to feel more at ease with themselves. This is very helpful to those who are sick; they go to Lourdes in hope of a cure but return home without a physical cure, but they have been helped mentally and are able to cope much better with their illness.
Another place to which pilgrims travel to is Taizé. This place is much simpler than the setup at Lourdes, however the opportunity for pilgrims to get closer to God, and themselves, is still there. Taizé is attracts mainly younger people for some unknown reason. Christians of all different denominations visit Taizé.
It is a very simple lifestyle, where everybody is part of the community. The leader of the community is Brother Roger, who originally set up the place during the war as a shelter for the Jews who were fleeing from the Nazis. The entire place is centred on prayer, and all activities must stop when the bell rings.
The way in which prayer, getting in touch with God and community spirit is a centre of both of these places of pilgrimage helps the pilgrims when they return to normal life, as their outlooks on life change. Therefore, pilgrimages are quite important to practicing Christians, but not necessary to them.